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Explore Sigiriya and Dambulla: History Meets Adventure

Explore Sigiriya and Dambulla: History Meets Adventure

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Arabiers Digital

21 November 2024 | 12 min

Sigiriya and Dambulla are two remarkable destinations in Sri Lanka where history and adventure meet in the most captivating way. These locations not only allow visitors to explore ancient ruins and cultural heritage sites but also offer thrilling outdoor experiences. From climbing iconic rock fortresses to discovering village life and witnessing wild elephants in their natural habitat, exploring Sigiriya and Dambulla is sure to enrich your understanding of Sri Lankan history while providing an unforgettable adventure. Arabiers has some exciting day out tours and Sri Lanka  Holiday packages to help you plan out your stay.


Sigiriya Rock


Unesco located in Dambulla considers Sigiriya. It is a rock fortress built by an ancient king in Sri Lanka. The climb to the top is filled with beautiful frescoes, the mirror wall and a great view. Sigiriya is known for its architecture and use of engineering techniques from a very historic age. Many also admire the beautiful gardens on the ground level.  The image of a lion is associated with this place as it still has remains of lion paws. This is very significant to Sri Lankan culture as the lion is said to represent Sri Lankans and their bravery. The ground area also has a Sigiriya Museum. It has a lot to offer about the history of Sigiriya.  It has many artifacts, interesting discoveries on Sigiriya and even a 3-D model of it.

On the way up you will see the water gardens first. It’s a collection of pools at the ground level. It is considered a former bathing lagoon for ancient kings.  During your ascend you will see the frescoes. These paintings on rock are one of the most famous things about Sigiriya. It shows a group of women offering fruits and flowers, known as the Sigiriya damsels.The mirror wall comes up next on your way up. Visitors of Sigiriya cover it with ancient graffiti. It consists of poems, tributes and impressions. After around 900 steps in you will come across the two lion paws.  This is the reason Sigiriya is also called the lion rock. The intricate architecture reveals so much about Sri Lanka 1000 years back to the past.

At the top of the rock, you will see panoramic views of the surroundings. The ruins of king kasypa’s ancient palace is also here. You can see the Pidurangala Mountain from here as well as many forests. 


Hiriwadunna Village


If you visit, Sigiriya one of the most important attractions close by in the Hiriwadunna Villiage.It will take you back in time to how Sri Lankans lived many decades back. You can take a bullock cart ride through the village. There are two bulls dragging the cart and this ride lasts for around 15- 20 minutes. You can even enjoy a boat ride on the serene lake, and witness traditional village activities.   This will give you a glimpse into the history of Sri Lanka. You will be able to understand how the ancient Sri Lankan society lived. You will get to take part in cooking activities, allowing you to cook using traditional methods. Most of the time you will be given a chance to do it. This will give you hands-on experience about the culture and traditions.

Both these activities not only reveal a lot about Sri lankan culture and history. They also have a lot of action packed activities, The Sigiriya rock is one of the most famous rocks to climb in Sigiriya.While admiring the beauty of it, you also get to climb up a few 1000 steps and test your adrenaline level. You are expected to have good stamina to endure the hardships and climb up to see the beauty it has to offer. In Hiriwadunna village also, even though you get to do leisurely activities , you will also get to do some adventurous stuff as well. 
 


Dambulla Cave Temple


This temple has caves with different buddha statues. It also has different historic paintings in them.Through this you can get an idea about the history of Sri Lankan culture. It is also a UNESCO world heritage site. This is a highly visited place by many Sri Lankans,especially buddhists. You will be able to appreciate the colors used in the wall paintings and the coolness inside the caves. Remember to explore the smaller caves around that area as well to understand more about the buddhist culture in Sri Lanka.


Pidurangala Rock


Pidurangala rock is yet another rock located in dambulla,. It gives a similar experience to Sigiriya with less crowds. At the top of the rock, you will get a similar view of what you experience in Sigiriya.  The climb is shorter than Sigiriya and will only take around 20-30 mins. However, the steps are quite steep so it will take some time for inexperienced climbers. This also has an interesting history behind it. It is believed to be one of the Buddhist monasteries back in the day. At the top of the rock, you will be able to get a 360 view of the surroundings. You will also get to see the beautiful Sigiriya rock from here.


Minneriya National Park


You can witness beautiful herds of elephants scattering across the Minneriya National Park. This is located in the north central province of Sri Lanka. It is famous for elephant sightings. This is known as “the Gathering”.  They usually come to the grassy area by the reservoir.  Typically, you will be able to see elephants of at least 150-200 of a count. Some of these elephants have migrated from nearby parks like the Wasgamuwa National Park. You can enjoy a safari ride into the Minneriya National park inorder to observe these beauties. The park is also home to other animals like monkeys, deer, birds and many more.